Drive roller assembly

ABSTRACT

A RESILIENT DRIVE ROLLER ASSEMBLY AND A METHOD OF MAKING SAME IN WHICH THE RESILIENT ROLLER IS MOLDED ONTO AN ANNULAR CARRIER WHICH HAS CURLED BACK ENDS FORMING TORTOIDAL LOCKING CAVITIES WHICH LOCK THE RESILIENT ROLLER THEREON.

Dec. 14, 1971 I w, c. SCHON 3,626,714

DRIVE ROLLER ASSEMBLY Filed July 27, 1970 I N VEN TOR WERNER C. SCHON 4/8 A 7' TORNE Y5.

United States Patent 3,626,774 DRIVE ROLLER ASSEMBLY Werner C. Schon, 1082 Sunny Slope Drive, Mountainside, NJ. 07092 Filed July 27, 1970, Ser. No. 58,220 Int. Cl. F16h 55/36 US. Cl. 74--230.3 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A resilient drive roller assembly and a method of making same in which the resilient roller is molded onto an annular carrier which has curled-back ends forming toroidal locking cavities which lock the resilient roller thereon.

This invention relates to a resilient drive roller assembly and method of making same in which the resilient roller is interlocked on a rigid annular carrier in a manner which permits virtually no circumferential or axial slippage.

Although the drive roller assembly of the present invention has general application, in one application it is utilized in the drive transmission system of a tape cartridge or player. These drive roller assemblies should have a long life expectancy and must function properly for long periods. Slippage in the drive transmission will result in distortion of the sound. It is, therefore, desirable to prevent slippage of the drive roll both circumferentially and axially on its support shaft. It is also desirable to prevent distortion of the roller into an elliptical shape, for example due to the drive pressure thereon, which distortion may produce separation of the roller from the support shaft and result in slippage.

Some of the drive roller assemblies heretofore used have consisted of a rubber roller mounted on a plastic carrier or shaft. To minimize slippage of the roller on the carrier, the outer surface of the carrier in some instances has been serrated and in some instances the parts have been cemented together.

The present invention provides a novel and improved drive roller assembly that not only avoids the disadvantages of prior drive roller assemblies but permits the roller to be injection molded directly onto the carrier, a feature not possible with plastic carriers having low melting temperatures and one which eliminates the assembly operation.

The drive roller assembly of the present invention embodies a rigid, annular carrier, preferably made of a high melting temperature material, having curl-back ends which form partially open toroidal locking cavities at both ends, and a resilient roller molded directly onto the carrier so that the molded material in its fluent state flows into and fills the toroidal locking cavities. When the material sets, the roller is locked in frictional engagement with the outer surface of the carrier, and substantial portions of both sides of the curl-back ends are locked in frictional engagement with the roller. The roller is thus securely mounted on the carrier with very great resistance to axial and circumferential slippage. Moreover, when pressure is applied to the outer surface of the roller, the inner surface of the roller in contact with the carrier will not be able to assume an elliptical shape which would tend to separate the roller from the carrier.

For a complete understanding of the present invention, reference should be made to the detailed description which follows and to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a prospective view of the drive roller assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the carrier; and

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FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, the drive roller assembly of the present invention includes an annular rigid carrier 10 having curl-back ends 11 on which a roller 12 is molded. Each curl-back end 11 includes a portion 11a which extends outwardly, a portion 11b which extends rearwardly, a portion which extends inwardly, and preferably but not necessarily a portion 11d which extends somewhat forwardly. The curl-back ends form toroidal locking cavities 13 at both ends of the carrier having openings 14 defined by the separations between the extreme ends of the curlbaoks and the adjacent outer surfaces of the annular carrier.

The roller 12 is molded onto the outer surface of the annular carrier 10 in such a manner that the material in its fluent state will pass through the openings 14 into the toroidal locking cavities 13. When the molded material sets, it will be in direct, frictional engagement with the outer surfaces of the carrier, the inner surfaces forming the toroidal locking cavities 13 and the outer surfaces of the portions 11c and 11d, and preferably the portions 11b, of the curl-back ends.

The resilient roller 12. is thus securely locked onto the carrier 10 in a manner which will prevent both circumferential and axial slippage of the roller relative to the carrier. Furthermore, when the outer periphery of the roller is in pressure engagement with another driving or driven element, the inner periphery of the roller Will remain securely locked to the carrier, since it cannot assume an elliptical shape which would tend to separate the roller and the bearing.

Both the bearing and the roller can be made of a wide variety of materials. The bearing is preferably made of a rigid material having a melting temperature substantially higher than the melting temperature of the roller to enable the roller to be molded directly onto the bearing. The bearing is, therefore, preferably a metal, such as steel having a non-corrosive coating thereon. The roller can be made of any suitable moldable resilient material having a high coeflicient of friction to minimize slippage, and preferably a material which also has good release characteristics. For example, the roller can be made of polybutylene, silicone, neoprene and a wide variety of other materials.

The invention has been shown in a single preferred form and by way of example, and many modifications and variations may be made therein within the spirit of the invention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited to any specified form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are expressly set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A resilient drive roller assembly comprising an annular, rig-id carrier having curl-back ends which extend outwardly, then rearwardly and then inwardly to form partially open toroidal locking cavities at both ends of the carrier and a resilient material having a high coefificient of friction molded on said carrier in frictional engagement with the outer surface thereof, the resilient material filling the toroidal locking cavities and being in frictional engagement with at least both surfaces of at least the inner ends of the curl-backs.

2. A resilient drive roller assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the rigid carrier has a higher melting temperature than the resilient material to enable resilient material to be molded on the carrier and flow into said toroidal locking cavities.

3. A resilient drive roller assembly as set forth in claim 2 including an opening onto each of said toroidal locking cavities defined between the curl-back end of the carrier and the outer periphery of the portion of the carrier adjacent the extreme end of the curl-back.

4. A method of making a resilient drive roller comprising the steps of curling back the opposite ends of an annular rigid carrier to a shape in which the ends extend outwardly then rearwardly and then inwardly to form partially open toroidal locking cavities at both ends of the carrier and molding a resilient material onto the outer surface of said carrier, causing the fluent material to flow into the partially open toroidal locking cavities at both ends and bringing the fluent material into engagement with at least both surfaces of the ends of said curl-backs.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 in which the rigid carrier has a higher melting temperature than the resilient carrier and flow into said toroidal locking cavities.

References Cited MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Primary Examiner R. H. LAZARUS, Assistant Examiner US. (:1. X.R. 

